Acetylene-generator.



A. S. PHELPS.

AGETYLENE GENERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED sBPT.1v,19o9.

A. S. PHELPS. AGETYLENE GENERATOR. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 17,1909.

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'HE NORRIS PETERS CO.. PHOTD-LITHU., WASHING TN, D, r

Patented Dec. 22, 1914.

A. S. PHELPS.

AGETYLENB GENERATOR.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 17.1909.

1,122,152. Patented De@.22,1914,

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A. S. PHELPS.

ACETYLENB GENERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 17,1909.

Patented Dec. 22, 1914.

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Ansi-:anon s. rnnLrs, or cnicas-o, ILLINOIS.

rasantes.

` gas generators and, in particular, to acetyfio iene generators.

The object of my invention is to provide an acetylene generator which will be capable of automatically controlling the generation of gas under all conditions of use, of maintaining a uniform gas pressure, of preventing a flooding of the generator, and, in

short,'a generator wherein safety is assured4 and which will automatically adjust itself to varying circumstances and demands.

l/Vith these objects in view, my invention resides in the features, detailsv of construction, and combination and arrangement of parts which will first be described in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrative of one embodiment of the same, and then particularly pointed outl in the claims.

In these drawings: Figure l is a perspec-4 tive view of the generator complete with certain portions broken away to reveal the interior construction; Fig. 2 is a detached front elevation of the lower portion of the carbid magazine showing the carbid feeding device in detail; Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the same parts; Fig. 4L is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 5 is a vertical section through Fig. 4f; Fig. 6 is a side elevation with the parts in the position assumed when feeding; and Fig. 7 is a similar view when in the non-feeding position.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the main generator casing a is divided by the partition a into two compartments, a lower .generating chamber 0:2 having anupward extending cylindrical portion a3, and an upper chamber@4 serving asa receptacle and water seal. for the gasometer to be hereinafter more specifically referred to.

Water is supplied to the generating charnber by means of a filling lip b anda pipe o provided with a T, and extending at b2 into the generator and terminating therein in an upturned nipple to form a trap. Y A removable plug b closes one arm of the T, where` by to provide cleaning access to the inward extension b2. n

Speceation of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec., 22, i914..

Application filed September 17, 1909. Serial No. 518,168.

` The generating chamber is emptied through a pipe c closed by a gate valve c. This gate is normally locked kby a foot 02 formed on the rod c3. The rod c3 is rigidly connected withthe cock al controlling the vent pipe al which leads from within the chamber a2 above the water level by way of a T `provided with a removable cleaning plug d2, and the cock CZ to the upper space of the by-pass. The by-pass 'e is of the usual construction, being a tight boia-arranged to be partially filled with water by a filter pipe e terminating near the bottom of the box, and alsofhaving an outlet c2.

An outflow pipe f, tapping the inside of the generating tank at the maximum water level, leads by way of a T f', having a removable cleaning plug fz, to the lower outside of the casing, where is situated another T` f3, thence the pipe extendsupwardly to form a water trap and discharges at f4 into the'waste. By this construction the overflow water is taken from the top and the water trapped therein is comparatively free from sediment which would not be the case if it were taken from the bottom of the generating chamber. This overflow pipe f is controlled by a cock f5 interlocked by means of a rod f6 with the rod c3. The two cocks f5 and al work in unison, beingopened or closed by swinging rod c3 about a vertical axis throughits point of attachment to valve cl. With the parts in the position here shown, it is obvious that the gate c can not be opened without first operating the said cocks to openl the vent and also the overflow.

VThe gas, generated by the discharge of carbid into the water in the generating chamber by the' carbid feeding mechanism to be hereafter described in detail, passes by way ofthe pipe g through the washer g and the filter g2, into the pipe g3 to the T g having vertically extending arms, one of which, g5 as a drip pipe extends into the water in the by-pass box c and the other, gf, is conl nected to the house supply pipe.

A blow-0E pipe lt having its inner open end terminating in the upper gasometer space and surrounded by the usual hood L,

form open at the bottom and floating, when filled with gas, within the receptacle at, on a body of water which serves to seal the lower end. It is of annular shape, enveloping the washer g and the filter g2 and surrounding the cylindrical upward extension a3, lof the-generating chamber. A bail i attached to the gasometer is detachably connected by the catch 2 to an arm s pivoted at it toia bracket 5 carried by the casing a and supported by the brace te'. The pivot 't4 is in the form of a removable pinattached to a' chain 7 to prevent loss.

Within thecylindrical extension a3 of the generating chamber a2, the carbid magazine y' is supported7 and the atmosphere excluded by the cover j. This magazine is of the usual cylindrical form in its upper portion with a converging'or funnel-shaped lower portion ending ina chute jg. Within the lower portion of the magazine above the chute is suspended a shield js to relieve the carbid in the chute l1'2 from the pressure of the store or carbid inthe upper part of the magazine.

The carbid feeding mechanism employed by me consists of the feed shoe lc counterweighted at lc and supported by the yoke 7.32 pivotedfon the rod k3 to swing` below and a short distance from the mouth k* of the chute vArms extending upwardly and forwardly from the shoe on each side of the discharge lip 7x15 support a thin plate k6 curved concentrically of the 4pivoted point of the shoe, the rod 7c3. This plate is mounted at a sufficient distance above the 'shoe 7c to enable itto reciprocate across the mouth k* closely contiguous thereto; and, being in front of the discharge lip 765 of the shoe, the plate occupies a position beneath the mouth la* when the shoe 7c is withdrawn, as shown in Fig. 7 and is withdrawn to one side, as in Fig. 6, when the shoe is beneath the mouth. As shown, the discharge edge of the plate only slightly overlaps astraight line drawn through the discharge edge of the feed shoe radially to the point of support, the major portion of the plate extending in the opposite direction beyond and away from the feed shoe. Thus the plate 7c forms a cut off for the carbid and, being rigidly fixed relative to the feed shoe, its operation is positive and absolute. A stop k7 limits the extreme swing of the shoe by striking the magazine.

A T-shaped lever m is pivotally connected with the shoe at m and on its head is provided with an escalloped or recessed face ywhich is engaged by an arm m2 of the rock shaft ma which is arranged to be rocked, upon the descent of the gasometer, in any approved manner, as for instance by a rod m4 extending upwardly andconnected to the yoke m5 of the depending link m6 pivoted to an arm m8 pivoted in turn to the bracket i5. This arm m8 may be bent or odset as at m81 in such manner as to partially underlie the arm 3, and as the gasometer z' and with it the arm 3 descends, the rod m4' is depressed and the shaft m3 is rocked. A counterweighted arm m9 restores the shaft to its t normal position as soon as the gasometer again rises and releases the arm m3.

`To prevent escape of gas and avoid the necessity of bushing, I employ a particular method of connecting the rod m4 with the rock shaft m3, making no claim to the same herein. Secured tightly to the rod m" is a downwardly opening hood m10 extending downwardly around the rod and telescopically into the well m11 to a point below the water level in the gasometer. An upwardly extending pipe m1 fixed to the diaphragm or partition a communicates between the gas space of the generating chamber a2 and the upper part of the hood m10 and the bore of the pipe serves as a passage for the rod m4. Below the partition a the rock shaft m is journaled in the bracket m13 and thus the rod m4 has no sliding bearing in any part requiring a bushing and the connection is effectually water sealed.

The relation of the parts just described is such that when the feed slice occupies a non-feeding position beneath the mouth of the magazine, the cut off plate is retracted and the carbid may flow freely through the chute into the shoe. This is the normal situation when the gasometer is full of gas. As the gas is used and the gasometer descends, the shaft is rocked, the feed shoe is .swung to the rear by the T-lever from be- Ordinarily the shoe does not swingA through its full arc of movement, as the feed device is so sensitive that a very small deposit of carbid in the generating chamber is suiiicient to close the shoe before it is emptied and to slightly open the cut-olf, while a very small -consumption of the gas will cause the cut-olf to close the chute and the shoe to feed another minute portion of its carbid. The result is the maintenance of an almost continuous feed and a consequent highly desirable uniformity in the gas pressure in the service pipes so that fiickering of the lights is avoided.

The water shed n, cast integrally with the lower portion of the magazine extends as an annulus around the magazine above the shoe and cut-O' plate. This ring has formed in its upper side a groove n and is arranged at a slight incline, discharging at n2 in a spout beyond the yshoe and cut-oil. This water shed serves to prevent access of water ,of condensation to the carbid or the shoe,

and prevents .accidentalr hydration of any carbid being fed from the magazine. This water shed forms the subject vmatter of my divisional application Serial Number 865,- 87.1 filed Oct. 9, 1914, and copending herew'lt i.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In an; acetylene generator, the combination, with the generating chamber, the carbid magazine, and the gasometer, of a shoe having a closed bottom andan edge over which the carbid may discharge, said shoe being pivoted to swing beneath the mouth of the magazine, a cutoy device secured to the shoe, arranged to occupy a position beneath and close to the mouth of the magazinewhen the shoe is withdrawn and to be withdrawn when the shoe is beneath thek mouth, said cut-off device extending beyond and away from the feed shoe and having a discharge edge only slightly overlapping the "radial line through the discharge edge ofV the shoe, and means actuated by the movements of the gasometer to reciprocate the shoe and cut-off. y

2. In an acetylene generator', the combination, with the generating chamber, the carbid magazine, and the gasometer, of a feed i shoe pivoted lto swing beneath the mouth of the magazine, a lever having an escalloped T-head and pivoted by its stem to the shoe, an arm bearing againstthe escalloped head of the lever, and a connection between the arm and the gasometer to operate the lever whereby the shoe is reciprocated as the gasometer sinks.

3. In an acetylene generator, the combination, with the generating chamber, the carbid magazine, andthe gasometer, of a feed shoe pivoted above the mouth of the magazine and arranged to swing to and fro beneath the mouth of the magazine ata distance therefrom, a sheet metal plate fixed to the shoe at one side thereof and above the same to occupy a position beneath and close to the mouth when the shoe is withdrawn and to clear the same when the shoe is betion, with a carbid magazine having a downwardly directed mouth, -of carbid feeding mechanism comprising a feed shoe mounted for reciprocation or oscillation ata distance below said mouth and having a discharge edge, a cut-o device rigidly secured to said feed shoe and arranged to move therewith but closer to said mouth, said cut-oif device having a discharge edge only slightly overlapping the discharge edge of the feed shoe and the major portion of the cut-off device extending beyond and away from the feed shoe, and means for reciprocating said carbid feeding mechanism.

ln testimony whereof, I affix my signature in the presence of witnesses.

ALGERNON S. PHELPS.

Witnesses lARIIHUR B. SEIBOLD,

DAVID W. STANsBURY.

opies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, IMI.` 

